Accenture is collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to help underemployed or unemployed Indians start a career in cloud computing.
The collaboration will provide free access to a variety of skill-development programmes through AWS re/Start, a 12-week programme that prepares learners for entry-level roles in areas including infrastructure support, site dependability, and IT operations.
Additionally, it will connect learners with potential employers, and provide guidance with resume building, along with coaching for job interviews.
Four nonprofit organisations that are a part of Accenture’s Indian skilling ecosystem—the Anudip Foundation, Don Bosco Tech Society, Magic Bus Foundation, and the Hope Foundation—are receiving funds from the company to implement the programme in the country. Volunteers from Accenture will also offer mentoring support to the learners.
The program’s first 12 cohorts have started in 11 major cities, including Kurnool, Trichy, Kochi, Punalur, Vijayawada, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Hyderabad.
In spite of the anticipated high demand for employees with cloud-based skills, a recent study conducted by AlphaBeta and commissioned by AWS found that almost half of Indian workers (46%) lack confidence in their ability to acquire digital skills quickly enough to advance their careers.
A startling 95% of workers and businesses encounter obstacles to digital upskilling, according to the survey.
Reportedly, the demand for access to upskilling programmes is increased by the prediction that 27.3 Mn Indian workers will need training in digital skills over the course of the next year alone.
Commenting on the collaboration, Kshitija Krishnaswamy, Managing Director — Corporate Citizenship, Accenture in India, said, “At Accenture, we have a long-standing commitment to being a talent creator that develops skills to improve lives. Since 2010, we have empowered more than a million people in India, including youth and women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and persons with disabilities, to find work or earn a livelihood by equipping them with relevant skills. Besides skill building at scale through collaboration with learning partners, a key pillar of our efforts is to build a bridge between the skilled and employers, and we are using our vast network and experience to help realise the tremendous opportunities presented by cloud technologies.”
Amit Mehta, Head of Business Development for Education & Training, Amazon Internet Services Private Limited, said, “The AWS re/Start program is a solution designed for individuals in need, their communities, and the organisations they work for. Our training program is helping unemployed and underemployed people across India develop critical cloud skills and find in-demand cloud opportunities.”
Moreover, anyone who is unemployed or underemployed can go for the programme. Through scenario-based exercises, practical projects, and coursework, the participants will develop their skills in relational databases, networking, security, and programming languages such as Linux and Python.
